Do Meaty Beef Ribs Exist?


 
S

Steve Rueschhoff

New member
I just made some beef ribs this weekend and they turned out great! The flavor is superior to pork ribs (in my opinion). The problem is that I almost threw the rack in the trash instead of on the smoker. They were aggressively trimmed, including much of the meat in between the bones. At the end of the day, they were good tasting but could have been even better with more meat on 'em!

I called around and butchers I talked to said they can get $16/lb for prime rib and only $3/lb for ribs, so I can't expect meaty ribs from them.

Should I bribe my butcher? Is there a mail order place I should try? I live in Deerfield, IL (right outside Chicago), so surely I can find these somewhere! Any ideas?
 
I have ran into the same problem you have. Not much meat on the bone. I'm like you that I like the taste but it's not worth the effort to go though with no more meat than they have on them. just my 2 cents
 
Yeah beef ribs are tough to find with any meat left on them for the reason stated. Once in a while you'll find a good rack or 2 but it's rare. I love em, but I agree, they are hardly worth the effort these days.
 
I know it's not the most cost effective solution, but is the answer to buy a bone-in prime rib roast and carve your own? That way you have the prime rib and ribs in the proportion you want.

Bill
 
Yeah, if I really wanted them bad enough, I'd buy them bone in, and go from there. Great pictures by the way Michael.


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You need to just keep asking around. You're bound to find an upscale market or butcher in Chicago or suburbs that have them. I have a good, local supermarket (not chain store) down the street. They have them in Cryovac with plenty of meat still on the bones.

It's been a while since I've done beef ribs, but they are delicious. These were only $1.69/lb in 2003.
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Regards,
Chris
 
My local Ralphs (Krogers) that's in an upscale neighborhood has great meats. I'm talking really marbled USDA Choice ribeyes and porters for $5.99 on sale sometimes. Anyway, I went in just two days ago, and lo and behold, beef ribs, NOT trimmed to the bone. only one small rack, but $1.99/lb. So I grabbed it. HOpefully I can get another one soon by Saturday lol.
 
If you buy a whole rib roast yourself (you should be able to find one for <$10/lb, ~$6-8 on sae) you can simply remove the roast yourself (keeping it whole or steaking it) and making the ribs as meaty as you want. Win-win.
 
There are plenty of places in Chi-town that carry them. You aren't looking in the right shops or asking the meat counter guys the right questions if you can't find them.

There is a butcher up in Evanston on Dempster, East of the Eden's. I want to say it's "ralph's". They are in a small shopping center. They for sure will have them. Ask around or call up some shops. I live in the western burbs and I just become friends with all of my meat counter guys. You can also get beef ribs at Sam's. Just don't have them cut into those strips that they do to them on the bandsaw...

Don't be afraid to ask the meat guys. They don't bite and I have found that miost really like some good BBQ. So I bring them some every now and then. It's amazing the extra services you get when you bring them some good Q.

Scottie
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
If you buy a whole rib roast yourself (you should be able to find one for <$10/lb, ~$6-8 on sae) you can simply remove the roast yourself (keeping it whole or steaking it) and making the ribs as meaty as you want. Win-win. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Really hard to find meaty beef ribs in my area as well. I've talked to pretty much all the butchers in my general area. I've come to the conclusion that I would need to buy the whole rib roast, butchers tell me they will then cut the ribs with as much meat on them as I want and cut the roast into steaks or as I wish.

Edit to add this reference on carving your own from a standing roast:

Beef Ribs - Custom Cut
 
I cooked beef ribs only once and although the small amt. of morsel was very good, I never cooked again as the freakin dogs benefitted from them more than I did. There's just not much to them- just a few bites of flavor to naw off a bone!
 
Yeah, seems like you have to be in Texas or CA to get them with some meat on em. I'm definitely going to try to get a standing rib roast and have them cut or cut them myself just to satisfy the urge to make something that is at least closer to TX beef ribs.
 
Talk to the meat guy I chat with mine almost every time I go in the store. Then I told the manager the meat guy is why I shop at his store. I learn something each time I go in. He will cut meat if i want something that is not in the case. He will show the better cuts and explain why. Found a new favorite poor mans rib eye this way.
 
You might want to ask if the store cuts beef short ribs in the store. If so you may be able to purchase some untrimmed ribs. I had to do that in order to find beef ribs for my smoke. The meat on the ribs was over two inches thick on one side. I did have to argue with the butcher about selling me the ribs uncut but it was certainly worth it.
Lance
 
I'm not sure if you have a Publix grocery store in your area, but mine locally in Florida sells beef ribs for well under $3/lb (if memory serves correctly), and I've been very pleased in terms of size when I cook for others. I see some of the pre-cooked pictures of beef ribs that other members post on here, and I can hardly believe that the vendors sell them.
 
I should've taken a picture of the beef ribs I saw at my Luckys yesterday. They were basically skeletonized, with less than a half an inch of meat on the bone. The meat between the bones were completely cut away as well. These were marked at $2 a pound.
 
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